Method of recovering copper from its ores.



. E. SGHAAP & S. G. MARTIN. METHOD OF REGOVERING COPPER FROM ITS ORES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1909.

1,069,981, Patentd Aug. 12, 1913.

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1 aZE wizvom- 2'6 may concern provements in Methods of Recovering Copoempenmg EE'WARD SiJE-IAAF, GE ST). MAE MYS, MESSGURZ, AEIEE STE TEN i5 1231:1351" KLLINQIES, ASSZGNQRS 01F 0NE-THEELD TC WELLEARZ 0. on. ,w MISSGURI.

j 5533 1 Soeoificetiozr Letters Epplics'biozl filed August 27, 1969. Serial 0.

Be it known that We, EowARo SoHAAr mini Srsrzrmr G. Mina-rm, both citizens of the United States, and residents St Marys, Iifiisso'nri, and Chicago, illinoist respectively, have invented certain new and useful Im- 2 indicate" it took into which copper soh-ition, from tio 1- through is locate-oi a valve i for the cosmos solution from tank 1 to t 2111 2. Loceteiii. iii the a tank 2 is EL steam coil 5, one end of which E 1 a pipe 3 in wince oontroiho the pa. sage of per from Its Ores, of which the loliowing 1s e SPQClfiGfLUGIl' containing a full, cieer, anci may be attached to suitebie source oi exact dESCKAQUOm. retererice being had to the L the opoosite end, is the steam supply accompanying tire-Winger, forming a part exhaust end of the coil. coil 5 1 s 9 1. hereof. is for i'ieatiog the cuprous soi'otioii.

Our invention relates to a new and useto} method. of recovering copper from its ores the object of our invention being to 00min copper wholly or in part in. its metaiiic state from its ores by a process of leaching, solution, heat, pressure, vaporizing and precipitation by e condensation.

We emoioy, in carryiog out our process, the use of e gaseous medium conte As heretofore stated, We eiiipic es eons medium pero'xio 2116i toe lower o-Xids oil This medium is proouoee of pair electrodes "Y anti mov 1 housing; 9 ami form the w eiecc circuit 'Wiiio may be pssseoi toroiigh )eroxici anti. lower oxicis of nitrogen N am. N 9 N Q and T 0 that a gas to: gee by passing ordinary atmospheric through orator cap may" .n'e user throogh the icons lilgi BCE-l'l? oisciisi mesiis o: rieiiium, to sists of pure sir "peroxi s flaming: electric are or through an electric flaming (iische-rgea When orciiioary atmospheric air is passed through an electric flaming oiisciiarge gaseous mefiium is formed which consists largely of pure air and per'oxici one! lower oxids of nitrogen, and, We have fennel out, oxirfzs oft riitroe'eio is sses I by experiment, that such a gaseous medium snci into the 2, Secured to exercises a sort of selective function toward; of the tank is a pipe iii which 15 the copper content of any copper soi'utioii valve 15 smenabie to our treatment. 1 3- which By our improveci moth-05L, We are e iabieci causes the i 1 Y to be to recover practically all of the copper condiffose in a series oi tained in any ore that is capable of being 1? V g forced into solution, semi Whether the soiuperforeteri heeo tion be neutral or acicl by our process firetsiikis of xocsteci L, M .2 a he iower soc. oi the ipe is cipita tion of the copper is efiecteci degree of press gre entiy instentaneous'ly and the soirent' 1S as not to be sfie at or ce freeci of its met-e1 burden by one siiie oi fl 1 L the rollowmg reaction: QCQSOg-k (N Q in which is located avolve 1%), sale. p

*1 be secures to any oeil'ig sciepted to mister pressure 3H O+nest and. pressure source of stesm suppiy 2Cu-l-2H Q QHNU When the so'iveiit solution is aoi it may be remisefi.

The operation of our process of meta} r;-

eovering is a continuous otie so los its the seppiy of tlie cupric or copious so ution is uninterruptedij fer} to the vaporizer, I I In order to describe more clearly our promo. mettioe, reference is flee; to

anci .air)

Seoureci'to the 1"? is pipe 20 oiieenci o'f seicl eorziaieeein, eiiemoer beiog n retiree s 1 me I Eti'lii my proviiied simiier oonc'ieosing to men-holes and leadiny, from the condensingchamber into the eoiulensiup chamber ".25 is a pipe Each one of the condensing chambers Z-l and 25 being; provided with cut-cit valves 29, 30,

and 25, the chamber 21 also being provided,

with a safety valve 34.

The operation of our process is as follows: The ore from which the copper is'to be removed is first crushed or ground in' any of the well. known methods and is then leached or otherwise digested with a suitable solvent of suflicient strength to dissolve all. of the copper present in theme that capable of being forced into solution. The solution of copper is then placed in the tank 1 and this solution is then conveyed or passed to tank land is therein heated to any suitable degree ofteniperaturc. While the solution of co )per is being heated it, the said solution, is treated with a gaseous medium corn.

taining peroxid and lower oXids of nitrogen through the pipe 13 In other words said solution is charged with said gaseous mediunn The charged solution is then passed into the pressure tank 1'? and it the same does not how rapidly enough into said tank we may employ a pump 35 to increase the flow, The cl'iargcd solution passes through the perforated head 16 in the form of small jets or sprays, and as it is emitted from said head steam is admitted into said tank 1? through the pipe 18 under pressure, when decomposition into metallic copper of the copper salt of said charged solution occurs and the products of said decomposition, together with the vaporized 'ater of the solution, are forced orer through pipes 20, E27 and 28 into the condensing chambers 21, 24: and 25, where precipitation of the metal. in a finely divided or coinininuted state takes place, the greater portion of the precipitate taking place in the chamber 2i; each cham-' ber 21 and 24: being provided with balllc plates 36 and 37' which have a tendency to check or resist the passage of light particles of material beyond the first condensing chamber 21.

Tho-precipitated metal is collected in the chambers lying below the uppermost valves in each condensing chamber until they have been practically filled and then they are discharged. into a car 38 or other receptacle by means of the lowermost of the slide valves carried by the condensing chambers, and the steam. admitted'to the pressure tank 17 being finally exhausted through the pipe 39.

-While we have shown one form 01 apparatus by means of which our process may be carried out, various apparatus may )6 designed for carrying out our process.

The essential features of our process are in the employment of a gaseous medium containing pQl'OXltl tli1(l. the lower oxids of nitrogen combined with heat, pressure and the precipitation oi: the metal by condensation, In other words, the essential features of our invention are the treatment of a solution of copper with heat and pressure and a gaseous medium containing peroxid and lower oxids of nitrogen and the eondensation of the vapor.

While we have shown an electrical appa ratus for producing-the gaseous peroxid and. p

lower oxids of nitrogen, weinay produce this gas chemically, and while we have shown a liquid in the condensing chambers "for effecting the condensation, we may use any suitable liquid as a precipitant with or without re-agent,

The pump 35 may be used for forcing the solution from the tank 2 into the vaporizing chamber 1.7, the back pressure being controlled by means of a check valve 40, the passage of the solution to the pump being controlled by ineansj of a valve 41.

e claim: v

l. The herein described process of reccweriu g; copper from its ores, Which'consists first in. converting the copper content of the ore to a solution, charging said solution with a gaseous medium containing per- Ofilti of nitrogen and the lower oxids of nitrogen, and subjecting said charged solution to the action of a hot fluid blast agent.

2. The herein described process ot'recovcring co in'icr from its ores, which consists in converting the copper content of the ore to a solution, treating said solution with a gaseous medium containing: peroxid of nitrogen and the lower oxids of: nitrogen, and subjecting; said solution thus treated to the action of a hot fluid blast agent.

3. The herein described process-of recov ering copper from its ores, which consists in converting the copper content of the ore to a solution, heating said solution, charging said leated solution with peroxid of nitrogen and the lower oxids of nitrogen gas and subject-inc said solution thus charged to the action of st am.

1. The herein described process of recoverine copper from its ores, which consists in converting the copper content of the ore to a solution, charging the copper solution with gaseous pcroxid of nitrogen and the lower oxids of nitrogen; and subjecting said solution to heat and pressure.

5. The herein described process of recovering copper from its ores, which consists in converting the copper content of the ore to a solution, treating the copper solution with gaseous pcroxid of nitrogen and the lower oxids of nitrogen; and subjecting said solution to the action of a tluid heating medium under pressure.

6. The herein described process of recovnitrogen; and then applying heat to said solution.

7. The herein described process of recovering eopper from its ores, which consists in converting the copper content of the ore to a solution, charging said solution with peroxid of'nitrogen and the lower oxids of nitrogen; and applying heat and pressure to saidcharged solution. I 8. The process of recovering copper from its ores by the wet method, which consists in leaching the ore with a suitable solvent, treating the resulting solution with peroxid of nitrogen and the lower oxids of nitrogen, and subjectingthe said solution thus treated to the action of steam. Y

9. The process of recovering copper from. its ores by the Wet method, which comprises leaching the ore with a suitable solvent, treating the resulting solution with a substance containing the lower oXids of nitrogen, and subjecting the solution thus treated to the action of a hot fluid blast agent.

10. A step in the process of recovering copper from its ores, which consists in impregnating the copper solution with a substance containing the lower oxids of nitrogen gas.

11. A step in the process of recovering copper from its ores, which consists in treating the copper-solution with peroxid of nitrogen and the lower oxids of nitrogen.

12. A step in the process of recovering copper from its ores, which consists in treating. the copper solution with a substance containing a mixture of peroXid of nitrogen'and a'lower oxicl of nitrogen gas.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWVAR-D SCHAAF. STEPHEN MARTIN.

Witnesses:

E, E. LoNGAN, E. L. WALLACE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the, Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

